Cervelo P2C review
- Price Paid:$2,500.00
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User rating:(4.9)
- Would buy again from this company: Yes
- Used product for: 2 years
- # of logged workouts:
"If you are new to tri bikes, you can expect some adjustment period where you get used to the feel and mechanics of it eg shifting
The duration of this time depends on how much you use it"
Ease of use
You must give yourself time to get used to the bike, shifting, being in the aero position, getting your bottles, attaching your spare tubes, CO2 etc but once you do get used to it, you will find it's far easier to ride and then you can start building your technique and power
Being a Tri bike, it is better suited for long, open, straight roads, NOT suitable for city rides that involve more technical handling and stopping for lights, traffic etc - for that you should stick with a standard road bike
I find my wrists and hands get numb and sore from gripping my breaks when my rides involve some portion of city traffic - something I am sure many others experience
Quality of Construction
Take one look at the transition area of almost any event (especially in Canada eg IMC) and you will think that Cervelo is becoming (if not already) the standard for performance cycling
When Chrissie Wellington wins 2 IM Championships on the P2C, it says something about the quality of the materials and the design of Cervelo bikes
Fit
As mentioned, it takes time getting used to the feel of the bike and learning what you can do on it - once you've formed that "bond", riding becomes easier and you can then build strength and confidence
Comfort
Very comfortable ride, much it has to do with the seat (I use a Profile Design Tri Strike Ti) and pedals (I use the Speed Play Light Action)
The carbon frame reduces the feel of vibrations on the road which makes for a smoother ride
Adjustability
Once you have an adequate frame size (based on your body dimensions) the rest of the bike is totally adjustable to ensure comfort and optimum energy transfer
Durability
2 years, 1 IMC and thousands of km's of training - so far so good
Like anything else, maintain your bike religiously and it will last a lifetime
Value
Considering the amount of use so far, this bike was worth the money - of course I would try to find a better deal if possible eg 2nd hand if I knew what I was looking for at the time but FAR more economical than golf...
I don't plan on buying another tri bike - EVER
Appearance
Put bright colors, race wheels on anything costing $2500 and chances are it will look pretty good
Put me on there and it will look even better...
Customer Service
I've never had any reason to contact Cervelo for anything other than to send an email registering my purchase - I didn't get any answer from them but it's not the end of the world
My friend however did get a crack in the frame of his P2C just before IMC 2007 - NOT as a result of having an accident or anything but appeared to be a genuine manufacturer's defect
He approached the Cervelo tent at the expo and they gave him a P3 to use for the race - not exact fit for him but he finished the race
When we got home, they mailed him a new P3 in his size at no cost
So I guess their Customer Service is not half bad...
Performance
Obviously a bike is the sum of its parts and so far MINE has performed admirably
I call her Lafawnduh (she's a flashy chick and loves it when I ride her hard) and has performed admirably in every race
Strengths
I have no complaints about this bike, no problems with it and it's served me well
Weakness
I am less inclined to use this bike on a trainer as I am a little concerned about chipping the frame on corner of the chain and seat stays where I connect it to the trainer - happier to use my aluminum road bike for that
- 127 people use
- 6147 workouts logged
- 266705.41 miles / 14391.65 hours logged
Ease of installation
Purchased from pro bike shop (supported Canadian Tri team in Beijing during 2008 Summer Olympics)
They provided a good bike fitting and installed all of the hardware including the extra cassette on the pair of Zipp 404 clinchers I purchased from them later